A woman sent nearly $300,000 after believing an OnlyFans creator had become her exclusive romantic partner and planned to build a future with her.
Investigators say she was not always communicating with the man whose identity appeared on the account.
Three collaborators reportedly took turns posing as Aaron M. Falvo, maintaining the relationship and encouraging her to continue sending money.
Falvo, 24, faces five criminal charges in New Jersey. Sarah Knott, Armaan Shah and Grace Mendoza have also been charged in connection with the alleged scheme.
The Paid OnlyFans Interaction Allegedly Became a Relationship
The woman, identified in court documents by the initials A.C., began communicating with Falvo through OnlyFans toward the end of 2024, according to News 12 New Jersey. Their interaction initially involved A.C. paying for sexual content. Around December 2024 and January 2025, the conversations allegedly became more personal and intimate.
A.C., who lived in the United Kingdom, reportedly came to believe that she and Falvo were in an exclusive relationship with a future together. She planned to move to New Jersey and viewed money spent on his personal needs and property as an investment in the life they would share. She reported the suspected online fraud to the Raritan Township Police Department on Dec. 1, 2025.
Investigators Say Other People Answered Messages as Falvo
Records obtained from OnlyFans and Discord allegedly showed members of the group communicating with women while posing as Falvo. Investigators identified Knott, of California, Shah and Mendoza as alleged collaborators who helped sustain the relationships and encourage additional payments.
A second woman reportedly believed she was also in an exclusive relationship with Falvo and sent him more than $500. The available court reporting does not disclose how long that interaction continued or whether she made other payments.
The three alleged collaborators face theft-by-deception and related charges. The charges are accusations, and the public reports do not indicate that any of them have been convicted.
“Nightly Goals” and Financial Emergencies Drove the Requests
The complaint alleges that the group created financial emergencies and assigned victims “nightly goals,” establishing payment targets they were pressured to meet. When fraud safeguards began restricting A.C.’s transfers, members of the group allegedly helped her open another bank account so she could continue sending money.
Falvo is also accused of creating a fraudulent employment contract that portrayed the transfers as payments connected to legitimate work after financial institutions began flagging them.
The alleged payments included $11,000 for dental work and $8,000 connected to one nightly goal. Court records also list $51,000 for a pickup truck, $6,000 for a motorcycle and $40,000 intended to support Falvo’s move toward a social-media career and the future A.C. believed they would share.
Prosecutors Are Seeking Accounts, Vehicles and Devices
Authorities allege Falvo moved proceeds through multiple financial accounts, purchased a Chevrolet Silverado and motorcycles, and made payments to the other people accused of participating in the operation. The Hunterdon County Prosecutor’s Office filed a separate civil forfeiture complaint seeking an Apple MacBook, an iPad, the Silverado, several motorcycles and money held in two accounts.
The accounts included $3,613.41 held through Affinity Federal Credit Union and a Vanguard brokerage account valued at $227,501.99 when they were frozen, according to WRNJ Radio. Search warrants for OnlyFans and Discord records were approved in January. The vehicles and electronic devices were seized on or around March 26, while the financial accounts were frozen May 27.
Falvo was charged with theft by deception, financial facilitation of criminal activity, falsifying records and two counts of receiving property derived from criminal activity. The charges were filed March 26, 2026. Falvo was released from custody on April 7 while the case proceeds.
A Blocked Transfer Should Not Be Rerouted Through Another Account
A bank restricting or questioning a transfer gives the account holder an opportunity to stop and independently review who is receiving the money. Opening another account, splitting the payment or relabeling a personal transfer as wages can bypass safeguards designed to identify unusual activity.
The Federal Trade Commission advises anyone who has sent money to a suspected romance scammer to contact the bank, card issuer, wire-transfer company or payment service immediately and ask whether the transaction can be reversed. Account holders can contact the institution through its official app, website or the number printed on their bank card.
Messages, usernames, profile links, phone numbers, transfer confirmations, bank alerts and documents such as employment contracts should be preserved. The FTC also accepts reports through ReportFraud.ftc.gov and advises notifying the platform where the relationship began.